More than 170 comments were made in a thread on Hsien Loong’s NDR speech. And there were more than one such thread discussing his speech. It only says that many Singaporeans are listening to him and wanting to know what is he going to do to improve their lives. The govt cannot dismiss the people as not interested in the affairs of the state or not willing to listen to the govt. it is a good sign, but would it be a wasted opportunity. When the people are listening, there is hope. The bad part will be when the people stops listening to the govt, switching off the TV when Hsien Loong speaks to the people.
The people are listening. The people are willing to listen. Is the govt listening to the people? Or is the govt still adopting the deaf frog attitude, or acting as half deaf, selective listening, listening to what it wants to listen?
There were tweaks on the CPF. How many of the tweaks are addressing to the problems the people have raised through Roy Ngerng and his crusaders? Shall the people thank Roy and his fellow men or to thank Hsien Loong and his wise men for the tweaks?
It would be such a waste when so many non believers are listening and could not be convinced. But it is also a fact that today’s non believers are not daft and could not be easily convinced. You really need convincing arguments and truths to win them over.
Were the tweaks on the CPF enough to win some of the critics over to the side of the PAP? Were the Pioneer Package and the CHAS card good enough? Some think the formula of discounts and subsidies has lost its meaning when the prices of goods and services have been raised so many times and a little discount is actually meaningless, a case of LPPL or worse. So, would this NDR make any real difference to the fate of the Party in the next GE? Has it narrow down the divide of a fractious family?
Chua Chin Leng AKA RedBean
*The writer blogs at http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/